10 Facts About Matthew Beard From "Vienna Blood"

With just two episodes remaining of Vienna Blood on WGBX 44 (Sundays at 10pm), WGBH Drama Club has gotta say: we cannot get enough of this Walter’s Choice drama. It's got everything: rich visual design, creepy murders, and tangled subplots. And while the story and visuals of the show are vibrant, it's the show’s two leading actors, Juergen Maurer and Matthew Beard, who have truly brought it to life. Maurer, as the grumpy, but well-heeled Oskar Rheinhardt, anchors the show in reality, bringing viewers the old school detective energy that WGBH Drama Club loves. But it’s Matthew Beard’s Max Liebermann — an earnest, excited young psychologist — who makes this series so refreshingly different. We delved deeper into this young actor’s background to find out just how he fills out this role so well:

1. Beard has been working for longer than he can remember...
As a 2-year-old, he appeared as the minor character Mathew Wilton in the UK show Soldier, Soldier, a drama that follows the lives of the men in the King's Own Fusiliers.

2. ...But that was just the start for Beard.
He went on to join his local drama club at the age of 4, his quiet demeanor and enthusiasm grabbing the attention of local casting directors.

3. His early acting days led to a lot of commercial work.
If you were in the UK at the time, you might have caught him in ads for Legos, Sunny D and Warbutons, a British bread company.

4. But Beard hasn’t always dedicated himself to acting.
In college, he explored other subjects, focusing on English and French Literature at the University of York.

5. College wasn’t the only time Beard doubted his acting career...
He has said in interviews that, “I still lie all the time if you ask me what I do. I say all sorts of different things, but I never say 'actor.'”

6. ...And it wasn’t the only time he took a break.
Beard has also spent some time modeling, most notably for high-fashion brands Burberry and Prada.

7. But despite it all, Beard’s a hard working, dedicated performer.
For example, to prepare for his role as Max Liebermann, Beard read and re-read works by Freud, watched a great deal of documentaries about the turn of the century in the city, and even arrived early in Vienna before filming began to get acquainted with the city.

8. Beard's dedication has paid off.
He's a favorite of Danish director Lone Sherfig, having performed in her films An Education and The Riot Club.

9. Beard doesn’t stick to the front of the camera...
He recently served as a funding producer on the film The Fitzroy, a dark comedy set in the post-apocalyptic 1950’s.

10. ...And it seems like sci-fi might be one of his favorite genres.
Beard recently appeared in a supporting role in the show Avenue 5 — a television series about space tourism. Yes, space tourism.

If you’ve missed any episodes of Vienna Blood, you can catch it now on PBS Passport — and tune in for the final two episodes on WGBX 44, Sundays at 10pm.